Four Questions with Brooklyn Coyle
Associate Director, Insights and Analysis, University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia
Brooklyn chose to be interviewed at her home in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland overlooking the Blackall Range.
1. Briefly, how would you describe your role in your institution?
My role spans a diverse and dynamic portfolio, encompassing institutional research, TCSI and national survey reporting, enrolment planning, and strategic analysis. I support key institutional processes such as admissions and government submissions while translating complex data into actionable insights that inform decision-making across the University. This work ensures UniSC remains strategically positioned and responsive to both internal priorities and the evolving higher education landscape.
2. From your perspective, what will be the key skills, capabilities and knowledge required for institutional research moving forward?
A deep understanding of an institution’s strategic levers is essential. The real value lies in the ability to transform data into insight, insight into action, and action into measurable impact. This demands not only strong analytical capability but also commercial acumen, systems thinking, and the skill to communicate insights in ways that influence strategic and operational outcomes. I often ask myself and my team, how can we make this information more easily consumable?, because creativity in how we visualise and present information is just as important as the analysis itself.
3. What does being part of the AAIR community mean to you?
Being part of the AAIR community is an invaluable opportunity to connect, share, and learn from peers across the sector. As someone relatively new to higher education, I really value the collaboration and collective expertise that help strengthen institutional research across universities. One of my biggest challenges, like many of us, is finding the time to invest in my own learning amid competing priorities. Balancing day to day demands with professional growth isn’t easy, and I am always interested in how others manage this. I would welcome ideas on how we can better leverage the AAIR community to make learning more accessible and integrated into our everyday work, something I am continually trying to improve.
4. Complete this statement:
In my role, I can’t operate effectively without …
… an amazing team that brings capability, passion, and curiosity to everything we do. I am equally grateful for the collaborative, forward-thinking diverse stakeholders across the University, and an Executive that genuinely values and champions evidence-based decision-making. It is the collective support, trust, and shared purpose of these people that make meaningful insights and real impact possible.
Brooklyn Coyle
October 2025
Newsletter
The AAIR newsletter is now a Members Only publication.
To read the latest issue of the AAIR newsletter, please consider becoming an AAIR member.
Answer 4 Questions
Would you like to feature in the ‘Institutional Researcher’s Corner’ segment of our newsletter, The Institutional Researcher? Contact our trusty editors with the answers to 4 simple questions, and we’ll feature you in an upcoming issue.
